Putin Calls Obama To Discuss Ukraine Peace Deal

Russia's Vladimir Putin has discussed tensions in Ukraine and the fight against Islamic State in a phone call with US President Barack Obama.

The White House revealed that Mr Putin initiated the call - the first contact between the two men since February - on Thursday evening.

Mr Obama told the Russian President his country must meet commitments made in Minsk earlier this year on the removal of troops and equipment from Ukrainian territory, the White House said.

The Kremlin said the two leaders had agreed that US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin will discuss the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

It comes after NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, General Philip Breedlove, cited a continuous flow of ammunition and other military supplies from Russia across the border into Ukraine.

Mr Putin and Mr Obama gave "significant attention" to confronting terrorism, particularly Islamic State, the Kremlin said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet to review the issue.

The two leaders also discussed the civil war in Syria.

Mr Putin spoke to French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the situation in Ukraine earlier this week.

France and Germany co-sponsored the Minsk agreement in February, which helped to reduce hostilities between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian troops.

Fighting has begun escalating again in recent weeks.